Chapter 735: Fan Ye Prepares to Draw His Sword

At ten in the morning, a villa in the western suburbs of Jingcheng.

Liu Shu sat at his desk, with draft paper and a pen spread before him. Sunlight streamed through the bulletproof glass, casting a bright spot on the desktop, yet it could not dispel the gloom in his heart.

He had been here for two days and two nights.

His wound had basically healed, his food and lodging were taken care of, and Lao Ba had even brought him a few books to relieve boredom. But the feeling of being confined was like an invisible rope, tightening the more it was pulled.

What made him even more uneasy was that Lin Dongfan never showed up.

"Thump thump!"

A knocking sound rang out.

Liu Shu looked up to see Lao Ba entering with a tray, holding breakfast and today's newspaper.

"Have something to eat." Lao Ba set the tray on the table and, picking up the documents Liu Shu had written, flipped through them: "Progress is good; you've already written over ten pages."

"Mr. Lin... when will he come to see me?" Liu Shu couldn't help but ask.

Lao Ba glanced at him: "He'll come when it's time. What, are you in a hurry?"

"It's not that I'm in a hurry..." Liu Shu chose his words carefully: "There are some things I want to make clear to Mr. Lin in person. Especially concerning the case of Li Zhenyang's eldest daughter, Li Shuqin—there are still some details..."

"Details can go in the documents." Lao Ba cut him off: "Fan Ye has matters to attend to; he'll come see you after he's done. Until then, stay put."

Having said that, he turned to leave.

"Wait." Liu Shu called after him: "Could... could you give me a cell phone? I want to call home to report I'm safe. My son is still in Wu Zhou..."

Lao Ba's steps halted.

He turned back, stared at Liu Shu for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed: "Chief Liu, you're a smart person; you should know the rules. Before Fan Ye nods, you cannot have any contact with the outside world."

"My son is only twelve!" Liu Shu sprang to his feet, agitated: "My wife ran off long ago; now it's just him at home! If Li Zhenyang's people can't find me, they might go after him!"

"Don't worry." Lao Ba said calmly: "Your son's side has already been arranged by Fan Ye to be secretly protected. As long as you don't cause trouble, he'll be safe."

Liu Shu froze.

Lin Dongfan... even considered his son?

"So..." Lao Ba walked to the door, turned back and said finally: "You better write everything you need to clearly, no tricks. This is your only chance."

The door shut.

Liu Shu slumped into his chair, staring at the heavy wooden door, a complex welling up in his heart.

He hated Li Zhenyang, hated the man who treated him as a disposable pawn and even wanted to silence him.

But he also feared Lin Dongfan—this young man is too unfathomable; you never know what he's thinking or what he'll do next.

Just like now.

They had him, Liu Shu, protected and well-fed, yet he never showed his face or stated his position, merely making Liu Shu write documents.

This feeling... is like waiting for something.

Waiting for what?

Liu Shu couldn't figure it out.

He picked up his pen and continued writing.

He wrote about Li Zhenyang's layout over the years in Wu Zhou, every node of that interest network, the cases that had been suppressed, the truth behind the deaths of Duan Xinhua and his son...

The pen tip made a scratching sound on the paper.

Meanwhile, he didn't notice that in a residential building far outside the window, a high-powered telescope was trained on this room.

Behind the telescope.

A man in work clothes and a baseball cap.

He was using an encrypted communicator to report in a low voice: "The target is writing something; progress shows he's written over ten pages. The room's windows are specially made bulletproof glass, impossible to bug. There are four security guards working in shifts, twenty-four-hour watch. Suggestion: contact can be made through the cleaning staff."

……

At the same time, the Wu Zhou Municipal Party Committee Office.

Li Zhenyang held the phone Xu Jijun had given him, his fingertips turning cold.

He had been staring at the sole number saved in his contacts—Lin Dongfan's private number—for a full ten minutes.

To call, or not to call?

Calling would mean bowing to Lin Dongfan, showing weakness.

Not calling would stall Xu Jijun's plan.

Outside, a few birds chirped; the sun shone brightly, yet Li Zhenyang felt a chill run through his body.

Finally……

He took a deep breath and pressed the dial button.

The phone rang four times.

"Hello, who's this?"

Lin Dongfan's voice was calm as water.

"It's me, Li Zhenyang of the Wu Zhou Municipal Party Committee." Li Zhenyang strove to make his sound weary yet sincere: "I want to talk with you privately."

"What does Secretary Li want to talk about?" Lin Dongfan asked.

"The Duan Xinhua case."

Li Zhenyang followed the lines Xu Jijun had taught him.

He adopted a sincere tone: "Over these years, many things in Wu Zhou have not gone as wished. I know your uncle might hold a grudge against me. Regarding work matters, I admit I have fallen short in some areas. Some things I'm not comfortable discussing directly with your uncle, so I can only fall back on talking with you."

On the other end of the line, Lin Dongfan fell silent for Along while after hearing that, then said: "Time, place."

"The day after tomorrow at three p. m., the old tea house in Wu Zhou, second-floor private room." Li Zhenyang quickly gave the location Xu Jijun had designated: "Just the two of us."

"All right."

The phone hung up.

Li Zhenyang held his phone, his palm full of sweat.

So smoothly?

Lin Dongfan actually had no suspicion at all and just agreed like that?

What he didn't know was that, on the other end of the call, Lin Dongfan hung up and a faint cold smile curled his lips.

Lao Ba stood at the side, lowering his voice: "Fan Ye, Li Zhenyang is obviously……"

"It's a trap." Lin Dongfan laughed: "Or at least a stalling tactic. He suddenly contacted me—either he's been driven to desperation and sincerely defects, or he's buying time for some other plan."

"Then you still agreed to go to Wu Zhou?" Lao Ba wondered, puzzled.

Lin Dongfan stood up and walked to the window, chatting and laughing: "Li Zhenyang is now like a mad dog backed into a corner—either he fights to the death or plays dead. I want to see which path he chooses."

As for the question of whether to go to Wu Zhou for the appointment, Fan Ye had not the slightest hesitation.

Fan Ye even hummed a little tune in his heart: "I can think of nothing more romantic than slowly tearing and biting with you……"

When he hummed the words "tear and bite" in his heart, Fan Ye frowned again.

It seems there's a saying: dogs bite dogs and end up with a mouthful of hair.

Forget it.

Or let's change the lyrics—the most romantic thing is to send Li Lao Gou on his way!

He pondered thus far.

Lin Dongfan turned again and asked Lao Ba: "How's Liu Shu doing?"

"He's writing the materials, fairly cooperative. But he seems a bit anxious, wanting to see you." Lao Ba reported truthfully.

Lin Dongfan said: "No rush, let him wait a bit longer. Li Zhenyang suddenly pulling this stunt makes me feel there's someone else behind him. Liu Shu is now our most important card—we can't play it lightly."

Lao Ba nodded and asked again: "Then tomorrow, going to Wu Zhou, should we bring more people?"

"No need." Lin Dongfan shook his head: "Li Zhenyang doesn't dare move against me now. If he did, it would be like tearing his face completely with the Lin Family—a consequence he couldn't bear."